Treatment of living bodies

ABSTRACT

A method and apparatus is provided for electrically stimulating magnetotherapy to a living body. The apparatus comprises a permanent magnet and a coil of D-block transition metal surrounding the permanent magnet. A voltage is applied across the coil in a direction to enhance the magnetic flux in the permanent magnet. The negative charge of these free electrons is thought to attract the positive electromagnetic charge of the enhanced magnetic flux so a magnetic flux can be electromagnetically transferred with the electron flow through the permanent magnet and conductors through the terminals to enable the magnetic flux to pass to and through the living body. The circuit has an output circuit which will assist the flow of the magnetic flux through the living body. The output circuit has two coils which boost the magnetic flux to thereby assist the flow of the magnetic flux.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to treatment of living bodies and relatesparticularly, but not exclusively, to treatment of the human body.

DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART

It has been well known and well documented that magnetotherapy canimprove certain conditions in human bodies. This therapy is thousands ofyears old but recent work by Dr. Jean-Bernard Baron of NationalScientific Research Centre in Paris, France has documented thatconsiderable improvement can be achieved in connection with a wide rangeof disorders including convergence of the eye, scoliosis, hemiphlegia,facial paralysis, muscle contractures, arthritis, tendonitis, synovitis,tension headache, post-operative and other pain, and sports injuries.

As a result of the research by Dr. J-B. Baron, other doctors indifferent medical research institutions have followed him in studyingthe healing effects provided by magnetotherapy. Similar works have beenundertaken in Japan but no scientific materials have been published.

The practice of magnetotherapy involves applying small permanent magnetsacross the affected areas so that a flux will flow into the human body.Many devices have been created for applying the flux of the permanentmagnets to the body. One recent innovation involves the use of permanentmagnets embedded within a blanket upon which a patient lies or which isplaced over the patient. Contact is made with the affected area so thatflux can flow into the body.

OBJECT AND STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION

The application of permanent magnets directly to the skin of the humanbody across the affected area is considered to be generally unpleasantand partly troublesome to implement. In the case of the magneticblankets, good magnetic contact with the surface of the skin across theaffected area is not always possible. Accordingly, enhanced treatmentcould be provided if the magnetic flux could be applied electrically tothe human body across the affected area. Accordingly it is an object ofthe present invention to provide a method and apparatus for electricallysimulating the treatment which can be produced by magnetotherapy.

We have ascertained that a magnetic flux can be carried in a conductorby the electrons in the conductor provided the conductor itself is of atype which has free electrons.

Accordingly, with the above in mind, a first broad aspect of the presentinvention may reside in a method of treating a living body for thepurpose of simulating the treatment which can be produced bymagnetotherapy comprising:

(a) providing a permanent magnet within an electrical coil of a D-blocktransition metal;

(b) passing a current through said coil in a direction which willenhance the magnetic flux of said permanent magnet;

(c) applying conductors of a D-block transition metal to said coil andacross an area to be treated on the living body; and

(d) allowing a further current to flow through said conductors throughthe living body to cause a magnetic flux to pass through the livingbody.

It may also be said that a further broad aspect of the present inventionrelates to apparatus for treating a living body for simulating thetreatment which can be provided by magnetotherapy comprising:

electrical circuit means having a coil of a D-block transition metal, apermanent magnet mounted within said coil, and conductors of a D-blocktransition metal connectable with said coil and being for application tothe living body, electrical power providing means within said circuitmeans for permitting a current to flow through said coil in a directionto enhance the magnetic flux in said coil and to simultaneously permit afurther current to flow through said conductors and through said livingbody when connected with said conductors whereby a magnetic flux can beprovided in said conductors and passed through the living body.

Most preferably, said electric circuit means contains electricaccelerating means for accelerating electrons carrying said furthercurrent.

It is particularly preferred that the apparatus be battery driven, andthat the battery be rechargeable from mains AC power.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

In order that the invention can be more clearly ascertained, an exampleof a preferred embodiment will now be described with reference to theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a block schematic circuit diagram of an example of thepreferred apparatus;

FIGS. 2A and 2B are detailed circuit diagrams of the apparatus shown inFIG. 1;

FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 are graphs showing waveforms provided in the apparatus;and

FIG. 6 is a block schematic circuit diagram of the apparatus shown inFIGS. 1-2 showing current flow.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to FIG. 1 there is shown a block schematic circuit diagramof the example of the preferred apparatus. Here it can be seen there isprovided a main circuit 1 which has a pair of output terminals 3 and 5.Output terminal 3 can be considered a north magnetic pole and outputterminal 5 can be considered a south magnetic pole. In use, current willflow along conductor means which is connected with the terminals 3 and 5to cause a current to flow into the living body such as a human body.The current will carry magnetic flux as will be explained hereinafter.

The main circuit 1 is powered by a battery 7. The battery 7 ispreferably rechargeable from a battery charging circuit 9 which isconnectable with mains AC power.

Within the main circuit 1 is provided an inverter circuit 11 forproducing two voltage outputs 10 and 12, a power control circuit 13, anelectromagnetic circuit 15, a permanent magnet 17, a voltage amplifiercircuit 19 and an output circuit 21.

The electromagnetic circuit 15 contains a coil 23 of a D-blocktransition metal. The coil 23 is sufficiently large to receive apermanent magnet 17 therethrough. When power is applied to theelectromagnetic circuit 15 from the power control circuit 13, it causesa current to flow through the coil 23 in a direction which will enhancethe magnetic flux in the permanent magnet 17. Conductors 21' of aD-block transition metal electrically connect with the coil in theelectromagnetic circuit 15.

The following theory is thought to be applicable as to how the magneticflux can transfer from the permanent magnet 23 in the electromagneticcircuit 15 to the conductors 21. The magnetic particles within thepermanent magnet 17 are basically orientated in one direction in orderthat the permanent magnet will have a north and south pole. Theorientation is not complete as all the particles do not align themselvesin parallel but merely in a general direction such that there will be anorth and a south pole predominating. Application of the current to thecoil 23 in the electromagnetic circuit 15 is in a direction which willenhance the magnetic flux in the permanent magnet 23. This, in turn,creates an intensive electromagnet flux in the permanent magnet 17 whichwill have a positive electromagnetic charge. The D-block transitionmetal from which the coil is made is within the magnetic flux which isnow highly and intensely concentrated to be directed between the northand south poles of the permanent magnet. The D-block transition metalfrom which the coil 23 is made is characterized by having pairedelectrons which are readily free. These electrons have a negative atomiccharge and are attracted to the positive electromagnetic charge createdby the intense magnetic flux. Thus, the paired electrons, because oftheir attraction to the positive electromagnetic charge, will carry theattracted positive electromagnetic charge as the electrons flow throughthe conductor. In addition a current flows directly through thepermanent magnet and such current carries with it a magnetic flux fromthe intensified flux in the permanent magnet. Thus, the current flowingthrough coil 27 and through permanent magnet are combined to produce acurrent carrying the magnetic flux. This, in turn, is thought to permitthe magnetic flux associated with the positive electromagnetic charge tobe transferred with the electrons through the conductors. Thus, amagnetic flux which is not normally considered to be carriable by anelectrical current can be carried with the electron flow associated withthe current passing through the conductors 21. Because the conductorswhich connect with the terminals 3 and 5 are also of a D-blocktransition metal, the magnetic flux which is attracted to the negativeelectrons will flow through the conductors and into the human body.Thus, as a current flows across the terminals 3 and 5 it will carry themagnetic flux with it like that of a carrier modulated with the fluxpulses. The magnetic flux will therefore pass into the human body withthe carrier current.

The D-block transition metal can be said to have loose paired electronsat the outer shell (which is said D-orbital). This renders such metalsoxiditic over wide ranges of states. Such metals are dense and highmelting and exhibit very high thermal and electrical conductivity andare therefore able to carry the magnetic flux in a condensed and uniformstate.

The voltage amplifier 19 provides a high potential which is applied toan output circuit 21. The output circuit 21 does not electricallyconnect with the conductors 21 but merely provides a high potential inproximity to the conductors 21 to accelerate the free electrons flowingin the conductors 21 to, in turn, assist in boosting the flow of theelectrons carrying the magnetic flux across terminals 3 and 5. Theoutput circuit 21 can conveniently comprise a respective coil for eachof the conductors 21. Thus, one of the coils can be used to acceleratethe electrons passing from the apparatus whilst the other coil can beused to accelerate the electrons returning to the apparatus.

It is thought that the magnetic flux is carried into the human body bypolar attraction. In other words, it is attracted by the negative ionsand the negative polar molecules within the body which are present inwater which comprises a major component of the human body. Water has aparticular molecular structure in that the shared electron pairs withinwater causes the molecule to have a V-shape. The unshared electron pairsof each oxygen atom within the water give it a localized partialnegative charge at the apex of the V. This negative charge of waterattracts the north electromagnetic flux and the body is filled with themagnetic flux which flows.

Referring now to FIGS. 2A and 2B there is shown a detailed circuitdiagram of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1.

The circuit is basically self-explanatory. Here it can be seen that theinverter circuit provides two output voltages 10 and 12. The firstoutput voltage 12 of 6 volts AC of 24 Hertz is half wave rectified andapplied across a coil 23 in the electromagnetic circuit 15. The currentflow can be approximately half an amp. Typically the coil 23 comprises acopper coil having ten turns wound over the permanent magnet 17.Typically the magnet has a flux density of approximately 15 webbers andcomprises a ferrite of 10 mm diameter and of 30 mm length. The secondoutput voltage 10 of the inverter circuit 11 is applied to the voltageamplifier circuit through a series of diodes D7-D15 to provide about a1kV pulsed DC output in a range of 20K Hertz to 500K Hertz andpreferably at 100K Hertz. The pulsing is in a range of 2 Hertz to 1KHertz and preferably at 24 Hertz and occurs by circuit conductor 14connecting between the output of diodes D7-D15 and the first outputvoltage 12. This pulsed output is applied to the output circuit 21' torespective coils 25 and 27. The coils have an ionic air returnelectrical circuit. Thus, the high voltage appearing from the voltageamplifier circuit 19 is applied to coil 25 with one polarity and to thecoil 27 with the opposite polarity. These coils 25 and 27, in turn,place the conductors 21' in proximity to a field created by a highpotential which, in turn, is thought to accelerate the free electrons inthe conductors 21' to, in turn, boost the flow of magnetic flux whichflows from the terminals 3 and 5. Typically, coils 25 and 27 eachcomprise fifteen turns of copper of 6 mm diameter through whichconductors 21' pass. The potential created by coil 25 will assist theflow of magnetic flux passing from the apparatus whilst the potential ofcoil 27 will assist the flow of flux returning to the apparatus.

FIG. 3 shows a graph of current-v-time showing the half wave 24 Hertzcurrent which is applied across coil 23.

FIG. 4 shows a graph of magnetic flux H-v-time showing the flux which iscarried in the conductor of coil 23 as a result of the current beingapplied to coil 23 as shown in FIG. 3. The flux is therefore pulsed andis thought to be carried by the free electron pairs in the conductorcoil 23 as explained previously.

FIG. 5 shows a graph of voltage-v-time showing the application of a 1 kVhalf wave 100K Hertz pulsed signal across coils 25 and 27. The fluxpulses shown in FIG. 4 have been simulated on this graph to show that 1kV pulses are in phased relationship therewith and pulsed at the samerate--24 Hertz. The effect of this is to produce a flux flowing in theelectrodes and through the living body which is pulsed in the range 1KHertz to 24K Hertz.

A meter 29 and neons 31 are provided to give an indication of voltageand current flow. An LED 33 is provided in the voltage amplifier circuit19 to indicate current flow into the voltage amplifier circuit 19. Thecurrent flow into the living body (patient) is in the order of 10 microA to 5000 micro A. The magnetic flux at the electrodes is in the orderof 10 micro gauss to 7000 micro gauss.

Typically the apparatus is connected with the living body (patient) byconnecting copper electrodes with the terminals 3 and 5 and connectingthose electrodes across the affected area of the living body. Theelectrodes must also be of the D-block transition metal in order topermit the required electron flow, hence they are of copper in oneexample of a D-block transition metal. The patient is treated forperiods of time which have been found satisfactory during priorexperimentation for similar treatments. Typically a period ofapproximately ten minutes is employed.

FIG. 6 is a block schematic diagram showing current flow from theinverter 11 to the power control circuit 13, through permanent magnet 17and through coil 23, and from terminal 5, through a living body back tothe apparatus via terminal 3. Current also flows from inverter 11 to thevoltage amp 19 to drive the coils 25 and 27 to boost the flux flowingwith the current. Thus, FIG. 6 shows not only the current flow but alsothe flux flow out from terminal 5, and the flux returning throughterminal 3.

Modifications may be made to the present invention as would be apparentto persons skilled in the art of treating patients and by those skilledin the art of producing electrical apparatus for treating living bodies.

These and other modifications may be made without departing from theambit of the invention, the nature of which is to be determined from theforegoing description.

We claim:
 1. A method of treating a living body for the purpose ofsimulating the treatment which can be produced by magnetotherapycomprising:(a) providing a permanent magnet within an electrical coil ofa D-block transition metal; (b) applying conductors of a D-blocktransition metal to said coil and said permanent magnet and across anarea to be treated on the living body; (c) passing currents through saidcoil and said permanent magnet in a direction which will enhance themagnetic flux of said permanent magnet; and (d) allowing current to flowthrough said conductors through the living body to allow a magnetic fluxfrom said permanent magnet to pass through the living body.
 2. A methodas claimed in claim 1 comprising the further step of pulsing the currentthrough the coil at step (c).
 3. A method as claimed in claim 2 whereinthe pulsing of the current through the coil is in the range 2 Hertz to1K Hertz.
 4. A method as claimed in claim 3 wherein the pulsing is atabout substantially 24 Hertz.
 5. A method as claimed in claim 1comprising the further step of subjecting the conductors at step (b) toa field created by a voltage potential to assist the flow of magneticflux through the living body.
 6. A method as claimed in claim 5 whereinthe pulsing of the voltage is in the range of 20K Hertz to 500K Hertz.7. A method as claimed in claim 6 wherein the pulsing of the voltage isto about substantially 100K Hertz.
 8. Apparatus for treating a livingbody for simulating the treatment which can be provided bymagnetotheraphy comprising:a coil of a D-block transition metal, apermanent magnet having a magnetic flux mounted within said coil, andconductors of a D-block transition metal connected with said coil andwith said permanent magnet, said conductors being adapted forapplication to the living body, electrical power providing means forpermitting current to flow through said coil and said permanent magnetin a direction to enhance the magnetic flux and to simultaneously permitcurrent to flow through said conductors and through said living bodywhen connected with said conductors to allow a magnetic flux from saidpermanent magnet to pass through the living body.
 9. Apparatus asclaimed in claim 8 including pulsing circuit means for pulsing thecurrent through said coil.
 10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 9 whereinsaid pulsing circuit means comprises an oscillator for providing an ACvoltage and rectifier means for permitting voltage pulses from said ACvoltage to be provided so the current through said coil can be pulsed.11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein said oscillator provides anAC output voltage in the range 2 Hertz to 1K Hertz.
 12. Apparatus asclaimed in claim 11 wherein said oscillator and said rectifier meansprovides about substantially 24 Hertz voltage output pulses. 13.Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein said conductors are, in use,subjected to a field created by a voltage potential to assist the flowof magnetic flux through the living body; including further oscillatorcircuit and rectifier means for providing said voltage potential. 14.Apparatus as claimed in claim 13 wherein said further oscillator circuitand rectifier means provides voltage pulsed in the range of 20K Hertz to500K Hertz.
 15. Apparatus as claimed in claim 14 wherein said furtheroscillator circuit and rectifier means provides voltage pulsed at aboutsubstantially 100K Hertz.
 16. Apparatus as claimed in claim 15 whereinthe voltage is about substantially 1 kV.
 17. Apparatus as claimed inclaim 13 further including a first further coil and a second furthercoil; wherein said voltage is applied to said first further coil whichsurrounds an output conductor of said conductors and to said secondfurther coil which surrounds a return conductor of said conductors. 18.Apparatus as claimed in claim 17 wherein each of said coils has an ionicair return circuit.
 19. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein theD-block transition metal is copper.
 20. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8wherein the current flow into the living body is in the order of 10micro amp to 5000 micro amp.
 21. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8 whereinthe magnetic flux which passes through the living body is in the orderof 10 micro gauss to 7000 micro gauss.
 22. Apparatus as claimed in claim9 wherein the magnetic flux which passes into the living body is pulsedin the order of about 1K Hertz to 24K Hertz.